Combined neural stimulation and cardiac resynchronization therapy

ABSTRACT

Methods and devices for delivering cardiac therapy to a patient are provided. Various implantable device embodiments comprise a plurality of leads and a controller. The leads include at least one lead to be positioned within a lead path to deliver ventricular pacing pulses and to deliver neural stimulation at a site proximate to the heart to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity. The controller controls delivery of the ventricular pacing pulses in accordance with a programmed pacing mode and controls delivery of the neural stimulation. The controller is programmed to deliver remodeling control therapy (RCT) by delivering ventricular pacing to pre-excite a ventricular myocardium region to mechanically unload that region during systole, and further is programmed to deliver anti-remodeling therapy (ART) by delivering neural stimulation to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity in conjunction with RCT. Other embodiments are provided herein.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to the following co-pending andcommonly assigned U.S. patent applications, the disclosures of which areherein incorporated by reference in their entirety: “Multi-SiteVentricular Pacing Therapy With Parasympathetic Stimulation,” Ser. No.10/700,368, filed Nov. 3, 2003; “Lead for Stimulating the Baroreceptorsin the Pulmonary Artery,” Ser. No. 10/746,861, filed Dec. 24, 2003;“Combined Remodeling Control Therapy and Anti-Remodeling Therapy ByImplantable Cardiac Device,” Ser. No. 10/850,341, filed May 20, 2004;and “Integrated Lead for Application of Cardiac ResynchronizationTherapy and Neural Stimulation Therapy;” Ser. No. ______, filed ______(Attorney Docket No. 279.765US1).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This patent application pertains to methods and apparatus for thetreatment of cardiac disease. In particular, it relates to methods andapparatus for improving cardiac function with electro-stimulatorytherapy.

BACKGROUND

Following myocardial infarction (MI) or other cause of decreased cardiacoutput, a complex remodeling process of the ventricles occurs thatinvolves structural, biochemical, neurohormonal, and electrophysiologicfactors. Ventricular remodeling is triggered by a physiologicalcompensatory mechanism that acts to increase cardiac output due toso-called backward failure which increases the diastolic fillingpressure of the ventricles and thereby increases the so-called preload(i.e., the degree to which the ventricles are stretched by the volume ofblood in the ventricles at the end of diastole). An increase in preloadcauses an increase in stroke volume during systole, a phenomena known asthe Frank-Starling principle. When the ventricles are stretched due tothe increased preload over a period of time, however, the ventriclesbecome dilated. The enlargement of the ventricular volume causesincreased ventricular wall stress at a given systolic pressure. Alongwith the increased pressure-volume work done by the ventricle, this actsas a stimulus for hypertrophy of the ventricular myocardium. Thedisadvantage of dilatation is the extra workload imposed on normal,residual myocardium and the increase in wall tension (Laplace's Law)which represent the stimulus for hypertrophy. If hypertrophy is notadequate to match increased tension, a vicious cycle ensues which causesfurther and progressive dilatation.

As the heart begins to dilate, afferent baroreceptor and cardiopulmonaryreceptor signals are sent to the vasomotor central nervous systemcontrol center, which responds with hormonal secretion and sympatheticdischarge. It is the combination of hemodynamic, sympathetic nervoussystem and hormonal alterations (such as presence or absence ofangiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity) that ultimately accountfor the deleterious alterations in cell structure involved inventricular remodeling. The sustained stresses causing hypertrophyinduce apoptosis (i.e., programmed cell death) of cardiac muscle cellsand eventual wall thinning which causes further deterioration in cardiacfunction. Thus, although ventricular dilation and hypertrophy may atfirst be compensatory and increase cardiac output, the processesultimately result in both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. It hasbeen shown that the extent of ventricular remodeling is positivelycorrelated with increased mortality in post-MI and heart failurepatients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-E illustrate embodiments of the present subject matter inrelation to a heart.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram of a cardiac device configured for multi-sitestimulation and sensing.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of an implantable device withRF-controlled satellite units for neural stimulation.

FIGS. 4A-D illustrate examples of how the intensities of ART and RCT maybe individually time-varied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Clinical data has shown that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT),achieved through synchronized biventricular pacing, results in asignificant improvement in cardiac function. It has also been reportedCRT can be beneficial in preventing and/or reversing the ventricularremodeling that often occurs in post-MI and heart failure patients. Asexplained in detail below, the present subject matter relates to animplantable cardiac device capable of providing remodeling controltherapy (RCT) by controlling ventricular activation with cardiacresynchronization pacing and providing anti-remodeling therapy (ART) bystimulating the baroreflex in order to inhibit sympathetic activity. Thecombined application of these two therapies provides a greatertherapeutic benefit than either of them individually. The devicecontrols ventricular activation through synchronized pacing of the rightand left ventricles. In addition, the device may provide a combinationof parasympathetic stimulation and sympathetic inhibition.Parasympathetic stimulation can be achieved through a nerve cuffelectrode placed around the cervical vagus nerve bundle, whilesympathetic inhibition can be achieved through baroreflex stimulation,either through a nerve cuff electrode placed around the aortic orcarotid sinus nerve, or though a stimulation lead designed to stimulatebaroreptors in the pulmonary artery. The device controls the delivery ofRCT and ART independently in either an open-loop or closed-loop fashion,the latter based upon a cardiac function assessment performed by thedevice.

1. Remodeling Control Therapy by Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing

Implantable cardiac devices that provide electrical stimulation toselected chambers of the heart have been developed in order to treat anumber of cardiac disorders. A pacemaker, for example, is a device whichpaces the heart with timed pacing pulses, most commonly for thetreatment of bradycardia where the ventricular rate is too slow.Atrio-ventricular conduction defects (i.e., AV block) and sick sinussyndrome represent the most common causes of bradycardia for whichpermanent pacing may be indicated. If functioning properly, thepacemaker makes up for the heart's inability to pace itself at anappropriate rhythm in order to meet metabolic demand by enforcing aminimum heart rate. Implantable devices may also be used to treatcardiac rhythms that are too fast, with either anti-tachycardia pacingor the delivery of electrical shocks to terminate atrial or ventricularfibrillation.

Implantable devices have also been developed that affect the manner anddegree to which the heart chambers contract during a cardiac cycle inorder to promote the efficient pumping of blood. The heart pumps moreeffectively when the chambers contract in a coordinated manner, a resultnormally provided by the specialized conduction pathways in both theatria and the ventricles that enable the rapid conduction of excitation(i.e., depolarization) throughout the myocardium. These pathways conductexcitatory impulses from the sino-atrial node to the atrial myocardium,to the atrio-ventricular node, and thence to the ventricular myocardiumto result in a coordinated contraction of both atria and bothventricles. This both synchronizes the contractions of the muscle fibersof each chamber and synchronizes the contraction of each atrium orventricle with the contralateral atrium or ventricle. Without thesynchronization afforded by the normally functioning specializedconduction pathways, the heart's pumping efficiency is greatlydiminished. Pathology of these conduction pathways and otherinter-ventricular or intra-ventricular conduction deficits can be acausative factor in heart failure, which refers to a clinical syndromein which an abnormality of cardiac function causes cardiac output tofall below a level adequate to meet the metabolic demand of peripheraltissues. In order to treat these problems, implantable cardiac deviceshave been developed that provide appropriately timed electricalstimulation to one or more heart chambers in an attempt to improve thecoordination of atrial and/or ventricular contractions, termed cardiacresynchronization therapy (CRT). Ventricular resynchronization is usefulin treating heart failure because, although not directly inotropic,resynchronization can result in a more coordinated contraction of theventricles with improved pumping efficiency and increased cardiacoutput. Currently, a common form of CRT applies stimulation pulses toboth ventricles, either simultaneously or separated by a specifiedbiventricular offset interval, and after a specified atrio-ventriculardelay interval with respect to the detection of an intrinsic atrialcontraction or delivery of an atrial pace.

It has also been found that CRT can be beneficial in reducing thedeleterious ventricular remodeling which can occur in post-MI and heartfailure patients. Presumably, this occurs as a result of changes in thedistribution of wall stress experienced by the ventricles during thecardiac pumping cycle when CRT is applied. The degree to which a heartmuscle fiber is stretched before it contracts is termed the preload, andthe maximum tension and velocity of shortening of a muscle fiberincreases with increasing preload. When a myocardial region contractslate relative to other regions, the contraction of those opposingregions stretches the later contracting region and increases thepreload. The degree of tension or stress on a heart muscle fiber as itcontracts is termed the afterload. Because pressure within theventricles rises rapidly from a diastolic to a systolic value as bloodis pumped out into the aorta and pulmonary arteries, the part of theventricle that first contracts due to an excitatory stimulation pulsedoes so against a lower afterload than does a part of the ventriclecontracting later. Thus a myocardial region which contracts later thanother regions is subjected to both an increased preload and afterload.This situation is created frequently by the ventricular conductiondelays associated with heart failure and ventricular dysfunction due toan MI. The increased wall stress to the late-activating myocardialregions is most probably the trigger for ventricular remodeling. Bypacing one or more sites in a ventricle in a manner which causes a morecoordinated contraction, CRT provides pre-excitation of myocardialregions which would otherwise be activated later during systole andexperience increased wall stress. The pre-excitation of the remodeledregion relative to other regions unloads the region from mechanicalstress and allows reversal or prevention of remodeling to occur.

2. Anti-Remodeling Therapy by Modulating Autonomic Activity

As noted above, activity of the autonomic nervous system is at leastpartly responsible for the ventricular remodeling which occurs as aconsequence of an MI or due to heart failure. It has been demonstratedthat remodeling can be affected by pharmacological intervention with theuse of, for example, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers. Pharmacologicaltreatment carries with it the risk of side effects, however, and it isalso difficult to modulate the effects of drugs in a precise manner. Thepresent subject matter employs electrostimulatory means to modulateautonomic activity, referred to as anti-remodeling therapy or ART. Whendelivered in conjunction with ventricular resynchronization pacing, suchmodulation of autonomic activity acts synergistically to reverse orprevent cardiac remodeling.

3. Device Embodiments

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate some device embodiments. FIG. 1A illustrates CRTperformed by an implantable cardiac device and neural stimulationperformed by a satellite unit. FIG. 1B illustrates an implantablemedical device to perform both CRT and neural stimulation therapy usingleads represented by the dotted lines and electrodes represented by “X”fed into the right atrium, right ventricle, and coronary sinus of theheart. FIG. 1C illustrates an implantable medical device with usingleads represented by the dotted lines and electrodes represented by “X”epicardially positioned to perform both CRT and neural stimulationtherapy. With respect to FIGS. 1B and 1C, the CRT leads can be separatefrom the neural stimulation leads in some embodiments, and the CRT leadscan be integrated with the neural stimulation leads in otherembodiments. In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C, a rightatrium lead, a right ventricle lead and a left ventricle lead are usedto perform CRT functions, and the left ventricle lead further includes aneural stimulator, such as an electrode placed in or near the coronarysinus or epicardially placed near a fat pad.

As shown in FIG. 1A, an implantable cardiac device 100 for deliveringCRT is typically placed subcutaneously or submuscularly in a patient'schest with leads 200 threaded intravenously into the heart to connectthe device to electrodes 300 used for sensing and pacing of the atriaand/or ventricles. Electrodes may also be positioned on the epicardiumby various means. A programmable electronic controller causes the pacingpulses to be output in response to lapsed time intervals and sensedelectrical activity (i.e., intrinsic heart beats not as a result of apacing pulse). The device senses intrinsic cardiac electrical activitythrough a sensing channel which incorporates internal electrodesdisposed near the chamber to be sensed. A depolarization wave associatedwith an intrinsic contraction of the atria or ventricles that isdetected by the device is referred to as an atrial sense or ventricularsense, respectively. In order to cause such a contraction in the absenceof an intrinsic beat, a pacing pulse with energy above a certainthreshold is delivered to the chamber through a pacing channel whichincorporates internal electrodes disposed near the chamber to be paced.Also shown in the FIG. 1A is a satellite unit 110 which incorporateselectrodes for neural stimulation and which communicates with the device100 via a wireless link. As disclosed herein, the satellite unit 110 iscapable of being positioned in a number of locations, includingintravascularly and epicardially, to provide desired neural stimulation.

FIG. 2 shows a system diagram of an exemplary microprocessor-basedcardiac device. The device is equipped with multiple sensing and pacingchannels which may be physically configured to sense and/or pacemultiple sites in the atria or the ventricles. The device shown in FIG.1 can be configured for cardiac resynchronization pacing of the atria orventricles. The multiple sensing/pacing channels may be configured, forexample, with one atrial and two ventricular sensing/pacing channels fordelivering biventricular resynchronization therapy, with the atrialsensing/pacing channel used to deliver the biventricularresynchronization therapy in an atrial tracking mode as well as to pacethe atria if required. The controller 10 of the device is amicroprocessor which communicates with a memory 12 via a bidirectionaldata bus. The controller could be implemented by other types of logiccircuitry (e.g., discrete components or programmable logic arrays) usinga state machine type of design, but a microprocessor-based system ispreferable. As used herein, the term “circuitry” should be taken torefer to either discrete logic circuitry or to the programming of amicroprocessor.

FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E illustrate a heart. As illustrated in FIGS. 1Band 1C, the heart 201 includes a superior vena cava 202, an aortic arch203, and a pulmonary artery 204. CRM leads pass nerve sites that can bestimulated in accordance with the present subject matter. For example,CRM leads are capable of being intravascularly inserted through aperipheral vein and into the coronary sinus, and are capable of beingintravascularly inserted through a peripheral vein and through thetricuspid valve into the right ventricle of the heart (not expresslyshown in the figure) similar to a cardiac pacemaker lead, and continuefrom the right ventricle through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonaryartery. The coronary sinus and pulmonary artery are provided as examplesof vasculature proximate to the heart in which a lead can beintravascularly inserted to stimulate nerves within or proximate to thevasculature. Thus, according to various aspects of the present subjectmatter, parasympathetic nerves are stimulated in or around vasculaturelocated proximate to the heart by at least one electrode intravascularlyinserted therein. Alternatively, a wireless stimulating device may bepositioned via catheter into the vasculature located proximate to theheart. Control of stimulation and/or energy for stimulation may besupplied by another implantable or external device via ultrasonic,electromagnetic or a combination thereof.

FIGS. 1D and 1E illustrate the right side and left side of the heart,respectively, and further illustrate cardiac fat pads which have nerveendings that function as baroreceptor sites. FIG. 1D illustrates theright atrium 267, right ventricle 268, sinoatrial node 269, superiorvena cava 202, inferior vena cava 270, aorta 271, right pulmonary veins272, and right pulmonary artery 273. FIG. 1D also illustrates a cardiacfat pad 274 between the superior vena cava and aorta. Nerve endings inthe cardiac fat pad 274 are stimulated in some embodiments using anelectrode screwed into or otherwise placed in the fat pad, and arestimulated in some embodiments using an intravenously-fed leadproximately positioned to the fat pad in a vessel such as the rightpulmonary artery or superior vena cava, for example. FIG. 1E illustratesthe left atrium 275, left ventricle 276, right atrium 267, rightventricle 268, superior vena cava 202, inferior vena cava 270, aorta271, right pulmonary veins 272, left pulmonary vein 277, right pulmonaryartery 273, and coronary sinus 278. FIG. 1E also illustrates a cardiacfat pad 279 located proximate to the right cardiac veins and a cardiacfat pad 280 located proximate to the inferior vena cava and left atrium.Nerve endings in the fat pad 279 are stimulated in some embodimentsusing an electrode screwed into the fat pad 279, and are stimulated insome embodiments using an intravenously-fed lead proximately positionedto the fat pad in a vessel such as the right pulmonary artery 273 orright pulmonary vein 272, for example. Nerve endings in the fat pad 280are stimulated in some embodiments using an electrode screwed into thefat pad, and are stimulated in some embodiments using anintravenously-fed lead proximately positioned to the fat pad in a vesselsuch as the inferior vena cava 270 or coronary sinus or a lead in theleft atrium 275, for example.

Shown in the FIG. 2 are three exemplary sensing and pacing channelsdesignated “A” through “C” comprising bipolar leads with ring electrodes34A-C and tip electrodes 33A-C, sensing amplifiers 31A-C, pulsegenerators 32A-C, and channel interfaces 30A-C. Each channel thusincludes a pacing channel made up of the pulse generator connected tothe electrode and a sensing channel made up of the sense amplifierconnected to the electrode. The channel interfaces 30A-C communicatebidirectionally with microprocessor 10, and each interface may includeanalog-to-digital converters for digitizing sensing signal inputs fromthe sensing amplifiers and registers that can be written to by themicroprocessor in order to output pacing pulses, change the pacing pulseamplitude, and adjust the gain and threshold values for the sensingamplifiers. The sensing circuitry of the pacemaker detects a chambersense, either an atrial sense or ventricular sense, when an electrogramsignal (i.e., a voltage sensed by an electrode representing cardiacelectrical activity) generated by a particular channel exceeds aspecified detection threshold. Pacing algorithms used in particularpacing modes employ such senses to trigger or inhibit pacing, and theintrinsic atrial and/or ventricular rates can be detected by measuringthe time intervals between atrial and ventricular senses, respectively.

The electrodes of each bipolar lead are connected via conductors withinthe lead to a MOS switching network 70 controlled by the microprocessor.The switching network is used to switch the electrodes to the input of asense amplifier in order to detect intrinsic cardiac activity and to theoutput of a pulse generator in order to deliver a pacing pulse. Theswitching network also enables the device to sense or pace either in abipolar mode using both the ring and tip electrodes of a lead or in aunipolar mode using only one of the electrodes of the lead with thedevice housing or can 80 serving as a ground electrode. A shock pulsegenerator 60 is also interfaced to the controller for delivering adefibrillation shock via a pair of shock electrodes 61 to the atria orventricles upon detection of a shockable tachyarrhythmia.

The controller 10 controls the overall operation of the device inaccordance with programmed instructions stored in memory, includingcontrolling the delivery of paces via the pacing channels, interpretingsense signals received from the sensing channels, and implementingtimers for defining escape intervals and sensory refractory periods. Thecontroller is capable of operating the device in a number of programmedpacing modes which define how pulses are output in response to sensedevents and expiration of time intervals. Most pacemakers for treatingbradycardia are programmed to operate synchronously in a so-calleddemand mode where sensed cardiac events occurring within a definedinterval either trigger or inhibit a pacing pulse. Inhibited demandpacing modes utilize escape intervals to control pacing in accordancewith sensed intrinsic activity such that a pacing pulse is delivered toa heart chamber during a cardiac cycle only after expiration of adefined escape interval during which no intrinsic beat by the chamber isdetected. Escape intervals for ventricular pacing can be restarted byventricular or atrial events, the latter allowing the pacing to trackintrinsic atrial beats. CRT is most conveniently delivered inconjunction with a bradycardia pacing mode where, for example, multipleexcitatory stimulation pulses are delivered to multiple sites during acardiac cycle in order to both pace the heart in accordance with abradycardia mode and provide pre-excitation of selected sites. Anexertion level sensor 330 (e.g., an accelerometer, a minute ventilationsensor, or other sensor that measures a parameter related to metabolicdemand) enables the controller to adapt the pacing rate in accordancewith changes in the patient's physical activity and, as explained below,can enable the controller to modulate the delivery of neural stimulationand/or cardiac resynchronization pacing. A telemetry interface 82 isalso provided which enables the controller to communicate with anexternal programmer or remote monitor.

Neural stimulation channels are incorporated into the device fordelivering parasympathetic stimulation and/or sympathetic inhibition,where one channel includes a bipolar lead with a ring electrode 44 and atip electrode 43, a pulse generator 42, and a channel interface 40, andthe other channel includes a bipolar lead with a ring electrode 54 and atip electrode 53, a pulse generator 52, and a channel interface 50.Other embodiments may use unipolar leads in which case the neuralstimulation pulses are referenced to the can or another electrode. Thepulse generator for each channel outputs a train of neural stimulationpulses which may be varied by the controller as to amplitude, frequency,and duty-cycle.

4. Sites for CRT and Neural Stimulation

In various embodiments, a neural stimulation channel uses a lead adaptedto be intravascularly disposed to transvascularly stimulate anappropriate nerve, e.g., near a baroreceptor in the case of asympathetic inhibition channel or near a parasympathetic nerve in thecase of a parasympathetic stimulation channel. Some CRT devices includean atrial lead to pace and/or sense the right atrium, a right ventriclelead to pace and/or sense the right ventricle, and a left ventricle leadfed through the coronary sinus to a position to pace and/or sense theleft ventricle, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C. A lead withinthe coronary sinus is capable of being used to transvascularly stimulatetarget parasympathetic nerves anatomically located on the extravascularsurface of the coronary sinus at a strength sufficient to elicitdepolarization of adjacent nerves, and is also capable of being used todeliver cardiac resynchronization therapy with appropriately timedpacing pulses at a site proximate to the left ventricle, for example.

According to various embodiments, the device is designed to sense arefractory period, and to deliver the neural stimulation from anelectrode or electrodes within the coronary sinus during the refractoryperiod to avoid unintentionally capturing cardiac tissue and inducing anarryhthmia such as atrial fibrillation.

Various lead embodiments implement a number of designs, including anexpandable stent-like electrode with a mesh surface dimensioned to abuta wall of a predetermined blood vessel, a coiled electrode(s), a fixedscrew-type electrode(s), and the like. Various embodiments place theelectrode(s) inside the blood vessel, into the wall of the blood vessel,or a combination of at least one electrode inside the blood vessel andat least one electrode into the wall of the blood vessel. The neuralstimulation electrode(s) can be integrated into the same lead used forCRT or in another lead in addition to CRT lead(s). In variousembodiments, the neural stimulation can be performed by a satellitestimulator located intravascularly and controlled by a planet such as animplantable medical device performing CRT functions.

Transvascular leads can be used to stimulate other nerve sites. Forexample, an embodiment feeds a transvascular stimulation lead into theright azygos vein to stimulate the vagus nerve; and an embodiment feedsa transvascular stimulation lead into the internal jugular vein tostimulate the vagus nerve. Various embodiments use at least one leadintravascularly fed along a lead path to transvascularly apply neuralstimulation and electrically stimulate a cardiac muscle, such asventricular pacing, as part of CRT.

Other transvascular locations have been mentioned with respect to FIGS.1D and 1E. Depending on the intravascular location of the neuralstimulation electrode(s), the right vagal branch, the left vagal branchor a combination of the right and left vagal branches are capable ofbeing stimulated. The left and right vagal branches innervate differentareas of the heart, and thus provide different results when stimulated.According to present knowledge, the right vagus nerve appears toinnervate the right side of the heart, including the right atrium andright ventricle, and the left vagus nerve appears to innervate the leftside of the heart, including the left atrium and left ventricle.Stimulation of the right vagus has more chronotropic effects because thesinus node is on the right side of the heart. Thus, various embodimentsselectively stimulate the right vagus nerve and/or the left vagus nerveto selectively control contractility, excitability, and inflammatoryresponse on the right and/or left side of the heart. Since the venoussystem is for the most part symmetrical, leads can be fed into anappropriate vessel to transvascularly stimulate the right or left vagusnerve. For example, a lead in the right internal jugular vein can beused to stimulate the right vagus nerve and a lead in the left internaljugular vein can be used to stimulate the left vagus nerve.

The stimulation electrode(s) are not in direct neural contact with theparasympathetic nerve when the transvascular approach to peripheralnerve stimulation is used. Thus, problems associated with neuralinflammation and injury commonly associated with direct contactelectrodes are reduced.

Various embodiments use at least one lead fed along a lead path andadapted to be epicardially-disposed near an appropriate neuralstimulation site for vagal nerves and an appropriate site forelectrically stimulating cardiac muscle, such as ventricular pacing, aspart of CRT. In various embodiments, a satellite unit to provide neuralstimulation is epicardially-disposed near an appropriate neuralstimulation site. Such satellite units are capable of being integratedwith implantable CRM devices that are performing CRT functions usingeither epicardial leads or transvascularly-fed leads.

According to various embodiments, the device is designed to sense arefractory period, and to deliver the neural stimulation from anelectrode or electrodes within the coronary sinus during the refractoryperiod to avoid unintentionally capturing cardiac tissue and inducing anarryhthmia such as atrial fibrillation. The myelinated vagal nervefibers of a parasympathetic nervous system is much lower than that ofmyocardial tissue. Thus, when stimulating these myelinated vagal nervefibers, parasympathetic stimulation can be applied in the absence ofmyocardial stimulation.

In various embodiments, the leads of the neural stimulation electrodesare replaced by wireless links, and the electrodes for providingparasympathetic stimulation and/or sympathetic inhibition areincorporated into satellite units. The wireless link may be, forexample, a radio-frequency (RF) link or an acoustic link. FIG. 1Aillustrates a wireless embodiment where the implantable device 100communicates with such a satellite unit 110 via a wireless transmitterinterfaced to the controller. The satellite unit 110 is an integratedassembly adapted for surgical implantation which includes a housingcontaining a battery and circuitry for outputting neural stimulationpulses to a target nerve (e.g., vagus, carotid sinus, or aortic nerve).FIG. 3 illustrates the functional components of the implantable device100 and satellite unit 110 relevant to this embodiment. The implantabledevice includes a wireless transmitter 101 (e.g., either an RFtransmitter or an acoustic transducer) interfaced to the controller 10for transmitting commands, and the satellite unit 110 includes awireless receiver 111 (e.g., either an RF receiver or a microphone forreceiving acoustic signals) interfaced to control circuitry 112 forreceiving the commands. The control circuitry 112 translates thereceived commands and causes pulse generation circuitry 113 to outputappropriate stimulation pulses to the external electrode 120.

Increased sympathetic nervous system activity following ischemia oftenresults in increased exposure of the myocardium to epinephrine andnorepinephrine. These catecholamines activate intracellular pathwayswithin the myocytes, which lead to myocardial death and fibrosis.Stimulation of the parasympathetic nerves (vagus) inhibits this effect.According to various embodiments, the present subject matter selectivelyactivates the vagal cardiac nerves in addition to CRT in heart failurepatients to protect the myocardium from further remodeling andarrhythmogenesis. Other potential benefits of stimulating vagal cardiacnerves in addition to CRT include reducing inflammatory responsefollowing myocardial infarction, and reducing the electrical stimulationthreshold for defibrillating. For example, when a ventriculartachycardia is sensed, vagal nerve stimulation is applied, and then adefibrillation shock is applied. The vagal nerve stimulation allows thedefibrillation shock to be applied at less energy.

5. Assessment of Cardiac Function

In one embodiment of the invention, the delivery of RCT and/or ART ismodulated in accordance with an assessment of cardiac function performedby the implantable device. One means by which cardiac function may beassessed is by measuring cardiac output and comparing it with thepatient's measured exertion level. Cardiac output may be measured by animpedance technique in which transthoracic impedance is measured andused compute stroke volume. In one embodiment, the exertion level sensoris a minute ventilation sensor which includes an exciter and animpedance measuring circuit. The exciter supplies excitation current ofa specified amplitude (e.g., as a pulse waveform with constantamplitude) to excitation electrodes that are disposed in the thorax.Voltage sense electrodes are disposed in a selected region of the thoraxso that the potential difference between the electrodes while excitationcurrent is supplied is representative of the transthoracic impedancebetween the voltage sense electrodes. The conductive housing or can maybe used as one of the voltage sense electrodes. The impedance measuringcircuitry processes the voltage sense signal from the voltage senseelectrodes to derive the impedance signal. Further processing of theimpedance signal allows the derivation of signal representingrespiratory activity and/or cardiac blood volume, depending upon thelocation the voltage sense electrodes in the thorax. (See, e.g., U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,190,035 and 6,161,042, assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention and hereby incorporated by reference.) If theimpedance signal is filtered to remove the respiratory component, theresult is a signal that is representative of blood volume in the heartat any point in time, thus allowing the computation of stroke volumeand, when combined with heart rate, computation of cardiac output. Thestroke volume integrated over time (or averaged and multiplied by heartrate) gives the patient's cardiac output. A look-up table or otherfunction may be used to compute what cardiac output is consideredadequate for a given exertion level. Measurement of cardiac output or adetermination of the adequacy of the cardiac output may be used by thedevice to modulate the delivery of RCT and/or ART.

Another means for assessing cardiac function is by determining theautonomic balance of the patient. It is well-known that an increase inthe activity of the sympathetic nervous system may be indicative ofmetabolic stress and the need for increased cardiac output. One means bywhich increased sympathetic activity may be detected is via spectralanalysis of heart rate variability. Heart rate variability refers to thevariability of the time intervals between successive heart beats duringa sinus rhythm and is primarily due to the interaction between thesympathetic and parasympathetic arms of the autonomic nervous system.Spectral analysis of heart rate variability involves decomposing asignal representing successive beat-to-beat intervals into separatecomponents representing the amplitude of the signal at differentoscillation frequencies. It has been found that the amount of signalpower in a low frequency (LF) band ranging from 0.04 to 0.15 Hz isinfluenced by the levels of activity of both the sympathetic andparasympathetic nervous systems, while the amount of signal power in ahigh frequency band (HF) ranging from 0.15 to 0.40 Hz is primarily afunction of parasympathetic activity. The ratio of the signal powers,designated as the LF/HF ratio, is thus a good indicator of the state ofautonomic balance, with a high LF/HF ratio indicating increasedsympathetic activity. An LF/HF ratio which exceeds a specified thresholdvalue may be taken as an indicator that cardiac function is notadequate. A cardiac rhythm management device can be programmed todetermine the LF/HF ratio by analyzing data received from its atrialventricular sensing channels. The intervals between successive atrial orventricular senses, referred to as beat-to-beat or BB intervals, can bemeasured and collected for a period of time or a specified number ofbeats. The resulting series of RR interval values is then stored as adiscrete signal and analyzed to determine its energies in the high andlow frequency bands as described above. Techniques for estimating theLF/HF ratio based upon interval data are described in commonly assignedU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/436,876 filed May 12, 2003, and Ser.No. 10/669,170 filed Sep. 23, 2003, the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

Other means of assessing cardiac function may also be employed tomodulate the delivery of ART and/or RCT. The impedance technique formeasuring cardiac output discussed above may also be used to measureventricular volumes at various stages of the cardiac cycle such asend-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and used to compute parametersreflective of cardiac function such as ejection fraction. Theimplantable device may also be equipped with other sensing modalitiessuch as a pressure transducer. Such a pressure transducer may beattached to an intravascular lead and be appropriately disposed formeasuring diastolic filling pressures and/or systolic pulse pressures.

6. Implementation Examples

In an embodiment of the invention, an implantable device for deliveringcardiac therapy to post-MI patients includes one or more pacing channelsfor delivering pacing pulses to one or more ventricular sites and asympathetic inhibition channel for stimulating nerves which inhibitsympathetic nerve activity. The controller is programmed to deliverremodeling control therapy (RCT) by delivering ventricular pacing in acardiac resynchronization mode which pre-excites a region of theventricular myocardium so as to mechanically unload that region duringsystole. The cardiac resynchronization therapy may be delivered asbiventricular pacing where one of the ventricles is pre-excited relativeto the other as determined by a programmed biventricular offsetinterval. Alternatively, in patients suffering from delayed activationof the left ventricle, a left ventricle-only resynchronization pacingmode may be employed. In another embodiment, the pacing therapy may bedelivered as multi-site ventricular pacing where at least one of theventricles is paced at a plurality of sites so as to pre-excite one ormore of the sites relative to the other sites. In any case, theventricular pacing may be delivered in a non-atrial tracking mode wherea ventricular escape interval is defined between ventricular paces, orin an atrial tracking mode where the ventricular paces are deliveredafter a defined atrio-ventricular escape interval following an atrialsense. In a patient who is chronotropically incompetent, an atrialpacing channel may also be provided for pacing the atria, with theventricular pace(s) delivered upon expiration of the atrio-ventricularescape interval following the atrial pace.

The controller is further programmed to delivery anti-remodeling therapy(ART) in conjunction with the RCT by inhibiting sympathetic nerveactivity via the sympathetic inhibition channel. The sympatheticinhibition channel may include a pulse generator for outputting neuralstimulation pulses and a lead incorporating an electrode adapted fordisposition near an arterial baroreceptor or afferent nerve of abaroreflex arc. Stimulation of the baroreflex arc then results ininhibition of sympathetic activity. The electrode of the sympatheticinhibition channel may be intravascularly positioned in a blood vesselor elsewhere proximate to a baroreceptor or afferent nerve such as in apulmonary artery or a cardiac fat pad. In another embodiment, the devicemay further include a parasympathetic stimulation channel, where theanti-remodeling therapy delivered by the controller further includesstimulation of parasympathetic nerve activity, and the parasympatheticstimulation channel includes a pulse generator for outputting neuralstimulation pulses and an electrode for stimulating a parasympatheticnerve. The electrode may be a nerve cuff electrode adapted fordisposition around a parasympathetic nerve or an intravascular electrodefor transvascularly stimulating a parasympathetic nerve adjacent to ablood vessel. As described above, for either the sympathetic inhibitionchannel or the parasympathetic stimulation channel, the electrode andpulse generator may also be incorporated into a satellite unit whichincludes an RF receiver. The implantable device then further comprisesan RF transmitter interfaced to the controller for controlling theoperation of the satellite unit via an RF link.

The device may be programmed to deliver RCT and ART in open-loop fashionwhere the RCT and ART are delivered simultaneously or separately atprogrammed intervals. The RCT and ART may be delivered at a constant ortime-varying intensity, where the intensity of the ART may be adjustedby varying the amplitude, frequency, or duty-cycle of the neuralstimulation pulses, and the intensity of the RCT may be adjusted byvarying one or more parameters which affect the amount of pre-excitationdelivered to the ventricles such as the biventricular offset intervaland the atrio-ventricular escape interval. FIGS. 4A through 4Dillustrate examples of how the level of RCT and ART may be varied withrespect to time. In FIG. 4A, both RCT and ART are deliveredsimultaneously with each type of therapy maintained at a constantintensity. In FIG. 4B, both RCT and ART are delivered at a constantintensity, but ART starts at a time T₁ while RCT starts at a time T₂. InFIGS. 4C and 4D, the intensity of each type of therapy is modulated withrespect to time. FIG. 4C shows the intensity of both the RCT and ARTincreasing with respect to time, while FIG. 4D shows the intensity ofthe RCT increasing while the intensity of the ART decreases. Therelative intensities of sympathetic inhibition and parasympatheticstimulation may also be separately modulated.

In another embodiment, the device is programmed to deliver RCT and ARTin closed-loop fashion, where the intensities of RCT and ART aremodulated in accordance with an assessment of cardiac function performedby the controller. The device may also separately modulate theintensities of parasympathetic stimulation and sympathetic inhibitionwhich are delivered as part of the ART in accordance with the assessmentof cardiac function. Cardiac function may be assessed by the deviceusing several different modalities, either alone or in combination. Inone embodiment, the device incorporates a sensor for measuring cardiacoutput, and the controller is programmed to modulate the delivery of RCTand ART in accordance with the measured cardiac output. As describedabove, such a cardiac output sensor may be a trans-throracic impedancemeasuring circuit. Another means for assessing cardiac function is anarterial blood pressure sensor, where the controller is programmed tomodulate the delivery of RCT and ART in accordance with the measuredblood pressure. The blood pressure sensor may take the form of apressure transducer and lead adapted for disposition within an artery.Alternatively, a measure of the patient's respiratory activity taken bya minute ventilation sensor may be used as a surrogate for bloodpressure. Cardiac function may also be assessed by measuring thepatient's exertion level (e.g., using either a minute ventilation sensoror an accelerometer) together with a measure of cardiac output and/orblood pressure, where the controller is then programmed to modulate thedelivery of RCT and ART in accordance with the combined measurements.

In another embodiment, the cardiac function assessment includes anassessment of the patient's autonomic balance. Autonomic balance may beassessed directly with a sensing channel for measuring electricalactivity in sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves with appropriatelypositioned sensing electrodes, or if the patient is chronotropicallycompetent, by measuring the intrinsic heart rate. As described above,measuring heart rate variability provides one means for assessingautonomic balance. Thus, the device may include circuitry for measuringand collecting time intervals between successive intrinsic beats,referred to as a BB interval, where the BB interval may be an intervalbetween successive atrial or ventricular senses. The device stores thecollected intervals as a discrete BB interval signal, filters the BBinterval signal into defined high and low frequency bands, anddetermines the signal power of the BB interval signal in each of the lowand high frequency bands, referred to LF and HF, respectively. Thedevice then computes an LF/HF ratio and assesses autonomic balance bycomparing the LF/HF ratio to a specified threshold value.

In certain embodiments, data gathered by the device in performing theassessment of cardiac function performed is transmitted to a remotemonitor via an RF telemetry link. The remote monitor may record the datafor later analysis by a clinician and/or transmit it to another locationover a network such as the internet. In response to networkcommunications, the remote monitor may also program the implantabledevice via the RF telemetry link in order to modify the delivery of RCTand ART.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with theforegoing specific embodiments, many alternatives, variations, andmodifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.Such alternatives, variations, and modifications are intended to fallwithin the scope of the following appended claims.

1. An implantable device for delivering cardiac therapy to a patient,comprising: a plurality of leads, including at least one lead to bepositioned within a lead path to deliver ventricular pacing pulses andto deliver neural stimulation at a site proximate to the heart toinhibit sympathetic nerve activity; and a controller to control deliveryof the ventricular pacing pulses in accordance with a programmed pacingmode and to control delivery of the neural stimulation, the controllerbeing programmed to deliver remodeling control therapy (RCT) bydelivering ventricular pacing to pre-excite a ventricular myocardiumregion to mechanically unload that region during systole, and furtherbeing programmed to deliver anti-remodeling therapy (ART) by deliveringneural stimulation to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity in conjunctionwith RCT.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one lead to bepositioned within the lead path includes at least one lead to bepositioned to epicardially deliver ventricular pacing pulses andepicardially deliver neural stimulation at the site proximate to theheart to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity.
 3. The device of claim 2,wherein the controller is programmed to deliver neural stimulationduring a cardiac refractory period.
 4. The device of claim 1, whereinthe at least one lead to be positioned within the lead path includes atleast one intravascular lead to deliver ventricular pacing pulses anddeliver neural stimulation at the site proximate to the heart to inhibitsympathetic nerve activity.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the atleast one intravascular lead includes at least one intravascular leadadapted to be fed through a coronary sinus to deliver ventricular pacingpulses, the at least one lead including at least one electrode totransvascularly deliver the neural stimulation from the coronary sinus.6. The device of claim 5, wherein the controller is programmed todeliver neural stimulation from the coronary sinus using the at leastone electrode during a cardiac refractory period.
 7. The device of claim4, wherein the at least one intravascular lead includes an expandableelectrode with a mesh surface dimensioned to abut a wall of apredetermined blood vessel.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is programmed to deliver RCT and ART simultaneously.
 9. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to coordinateand deliver RCT and ART at separate times.
 10. The device of claim 1,further comprising means for assessing cardiac function and wherein thecontroller is programmed to adjust delivery at least one of RCT and ARTbased on an assessment of cardiac function.
 11. The device of claim 10,wherein the cardiac function assessing means comprises a sensor formeasuring cardiac output and wherein the controller is programmed toadjust delivery at least one of RCT and ART in accordance with themeasured cardiac output.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the cardiacfunction assessing means comprises an arterial blood pressure sensor andwherein the controller is programmed to adjust delivery at least one ofRCT and ART in accordance with the measured blood pressure.
 13. Thedevice of claim 10, wherein the cardiac function assessing meanscomprises an exertion level sensor for measuring the patient's exertionlevel, and wherein the controller is programmed to modulate the deliveryof RCT and ART in accordance with the measured exertion level.
 14. Thedevice of claim 10, wherein the cardiac function assessment meansincludes a sensing channel for measuring autonomic balance and whereinthe cardiac function assessment includes an assessment of the patient'sautonomic balance, further comprising: circuitry for measuring andcollecting time intervals between successive intrinsic beats, referredto as a BB interval, and storing the collected intervals as a discreteBB interval signal, filtering the BB interval signal into defined highand low frequency bands, and determining the signal power of the BBinterval signal in each of the low and high frequency bands, referred toLF and HF, respectively; and circuitry for computing an LF/HF ratio andassessing autonomic balance by comparing the LF/HF ratio to a specifiedthreshold value.
 15. The device of claim 10, wherein RCT is adjusted inresponse to the assessment of cardiac function by varying the extent ofpre-excitation provided to a ventricular pacing site.
 16. The device ofclaim 10, wherein ART is adjusted in response to the assessment ofcardiac function by varying the amplitude of neural stimulation pulses.17. The device of claim 10, wherein ART is adjusted in response to theassessment of cardiac function by varying the frequency of neuralstimulation pulses.
 18. The device of claim 10, wherein ART is adjustedin response to the assessment of cardiac function by varying the dutycycle of neural stimulation pulses.
 19. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising: a sensing channel for detecting intrinsic cardiac activity;a shock channel for delivering a cardioversion/defibrillation shockpulse; and, wherein the controller is programmed to deliver a shockpulse upon detection of a tachyarrhythmia above a specified ratethreshold.
 20. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller isprogrammed to deliver RCT as biventricular pacing so as to pre-exciteone of the ventricles relative to the other.
 21. The device of claim 1,wherein the controller is programmed to deliver RCT as multi-siteventricular pacing where at least one of the ventricles is paced at aplurality of sites so as to pre-excite one or more of the sites relativeto the other sites.
 22. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller isprogrammed to deliver RCT as left ventricle-only pacing whichpre-excites the left ventricle relative to the right ventricle duringsystole.
 23. An implantable device for delivering cardiac therapy to apatient, comprising: a number of leads, each with at least oneelectrode, to provide one or more pacing channels to deliver ventricularpacing pulses to one or more ventricular sites, and a sympatheticinhibition channel to stimulate nerves to inhibit sympathetic nerveactivity, the number of leads including at least one intravascularly-fedlead to transvascularly stimulate the nerves to inhibit sympatheticnerve activity and to deliver ventricular pacing pulses; a controllerfor controlling the delivery of pacing pulses to one or more ventricularsites during a cardiac cycle in accordance with a programmed pacingmode; wherein the controller is programmed to deliver remodeling controltherapy (RCT) by delivering ventricular pacing in a manner whichpre-excites a region of the ventricular myocardium to mechanicallyunload that region during systole, and to deliver anti-remodelingtherapy (ART) in conjunction with RCT by inhibiting sympathetic nerveactivity via the sympathetic inhibition channel.
 24. The device of claim23, wherein the at least one intravascularly-fed lead includes a lead tobe fed through a coronary sinus with at least one electrode totransvascularly stimulate nerves located on an extravascular surface ofthe coronary sinus.
 25. The device of claim 23, wherein the programmeris further programmed to deliver baroreflex stimulation to inhibitsympathetic nerve activity during a cardiac refractory period to avoidcapturing cardiac tissue and inducing an arrythmia.
 26. The device ofclaim 23, further comprising a parasympathetic stimulation channel forstimulating parasympathetic nerve activity and wherein theanti-remodeling therapy delivered by the controller further includesstimulation of parasympathetic nerve activity.
 27. The device of claim26, wherein the parasympathetic stimulation channel includes a nervecuff electrode adapted for disposition around a parasympathetic nerve.28. The device of claim 23, wherein the electrode is incorporated into asatellite unit adapted to be intravascularly positioned.
 29. The deviceof claim 23, wherein the at least one intravascularly-fed lead includesan expandable electrode with a mesh surface dimensioned to abut a wallof a predetermined blood vessel.
 30. An implantable device fordelivering cardiac therapy to a patient, comprising: a number of leads,each with at least one electrode, to provide one or more pacing channelsto deliver ventricular pacing pulses to one or more ventricular sites,and a sympathetic inhibition channel to stimulate nerves to inhibitsympathetic nerve activity, the number of leads including at least onelead to epicardially stimulate the nerves to inhibit sympathetic nerveactivity and to epicardially deliver ventricular pacing pulses; acontroller for controlling the delivery of pacing pulses to one or moreventricular sites during a cardiac cycle in accordance with a programmedpacing mode; wherein the controller is programmed to deliver remodelingcontrol therapy (RCT) by delivering ventricular pacing in a manner whichpre-excites a region of the ventricular myocardium to mechanicallyunload that region during systole, and to deliver anti-remodelingtherapy (ART) in conjunction with RCT by inhibiting sympathetic nerveactivity via the sympathetic inhibition channel.
 31. The device of claim30, wherein the programmer is further programmed to deliver baroreflexstimulation to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity during a cardiacrefractory period to avoid capturing cardiac tissue and inducing anarrythmia.
 32. The device of claim 30, further comprising aparasympathetic stimulation channel for stimulating parasympatheticnerve activity and wherein the anti-remodeling therapy delivered by thecontroller further includes stimulation of parasympathetic nerveactivity.
 33. The device of claim 32, wherein the parasympatheticstimulation channel includes a nerve cuff electrode adapted fordisposition around a parasympathetic nerve.
 34. The device of claim 30,wherein the electrode is incorporated into a satellite unit adapted tobe intravascularly positioned.
 35. A method for delivering cardiactherapy to a patient, comprising: routing a plurality of leads adaptedto provide cardiac pacing as part of a cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT) and to provide neural stimulation, including routing at least oneof the leads through a lead path; delivering CRT, including deliveringcardiac pacing signals using the lead path to pace cardiac tissue; anddelivering neural stimulation signals using the lead path to inhibitsympathetic nerve activity.
 36. The method of claim 35, whereindelivering cardiac pacing signals includes delivering cardiac pacingsignals over a first lead using the lead path, and delivering neuralstimulation signals includes delivering neural stimulation signals overa second lead using the lead path.
 37. The method of claim 35, whereindelivering cardiac pacing signals includes delivering cardiac pacingsignals over a first lead using the lead path, and delivering neuralstimulation signals includes delivering neural stimulation signals overthe first lead using the lead path.
 38. The method of claim 35, whereinthe lead path includes a lead path to deliver cardiac pacing signals anddelivering neural stimulation signals epicardially.
 39. The method ofclaim 35, wherein the lead path includes an intravascular lead path. 40.The method of claim 35, further comprising expanding an expandablestent-like electrode within a blood vessel.
 41. The method of claim 35,further comprising coordinating delivering CRT and delivering neuralstimulation signals to provide a ventricular remodeling treatment. 42.The method of claim 35, further comprising sensing a cardiac refractoryperiod, wherein delivering neural stimulation signals includesdelivering neural stimulation signals during the cardiac refractoryperiod.